While extraordinary measures are demanded of the Israeli public to contend with the coronavirus outbreak for weeks and possibly months to come, the nation’s leaders have failed to move past deeply-rooted divisions to establish a broad national emergency government.
Negotiations have bitterly imploded between officials from the Blue and White party headed by Benny Gantz and the Likud, lead by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu; with both sides placing blame for the impasse on the other.
One glimmer of hope emerged, however, when the leaders of the country’s two major parties began to react more positively to one another on social media. After Gantz posted a Facebook message reading, “when it comes to human life, politics become redundant,” Netanyahu responded by thanking his political rival for his support in advocating that the public to comply with instructions from the interim government. The indication of unity was embraced by President Reuven Rivlin, who called on both leaders to continue the momentum at the negotiating table.